Boot-black chair



J. MANZARI.

BOOTBLACK CHAIR. APPLICATION men HAYI3, I919.

1,333,867. Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\ Q v o N N 5 Q Q Q N K 8 Q A y W 0mg I Qwveutoz JOSEPH. MANZARI, OFCORONA, NEW YORK.

BOOT-BLACK CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

Application filed May 13, 1919. Serial No. 296,894.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Be it known that I, JOSEPH MANZARI, a citizen of the United States,residing at Corona, in the county of Queens and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot-Black Chairs, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to chairs, and more particularly to shoe shinersor bootblacks chairs.

The object of the invention is to provide a collapsible chair of thischaracter which is light and easy to handle, yet strong and efiicient inuse, and which may be quickly and easily set up or collapsed at the willof the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair of this charactercomposed of a plurality of sections foldable one upon the other, so asto occupy a minimum amoimt of space when collapsed, rendering it easilyhandled and transported.

Another object is to provide a chair of this character with a pivotedfoot rest so constructed that the person using the chair can scrape themud from the bottom of his shoes.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation of achair constructed in accordance with this invention, set up ready foruse,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof,

Fig. 3' is a longitudinal vertical section, and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the chair in collapsed position readyfor storage or transportation.

In the embodiment illustrated, the chair constituting this inventioncomprisesa front section composed of a pair of laterally spaced legs 1,connected rigidly by upper and lower bars 2 and 3, respectively, whichmay be of any desired width. A seat section 4 is hinged at 5 to thefront section, and is designed to be connected with a back section in amanner presently to be described. This seat section 4 has side flanges 6depending therefrom.

A back section is connected with the front section and compriseslaterally spaced legs 7 rigidly connected by cross bars or plates 8, 9and 10, the plate 8 being arranged at the upper ends of the legportions, which legs are extended to form back supporting means 11, theupper ends of which are connected by the cross bar or platelO. Verticalslats 12 connect the cross bars 8 and 10 and are spaced laterally as isshown clearly in Fig. 2. The extensions 11 of the legs '7 which form theback supports are preferably deflected rearwardly as shown clearly inFigs. 1 and 3 to render the back more comfortable. Arms 13 are pivotallyconnected at one end with the back members 11 about midway their length,and at their other ends are connected pivotally with front supportingmembers 14. These members 14: are in the form of slightly curved barspivoted at their lower ends to the outer faces of the front legs 1 withtheir upper ends pivotally connected with the front ends of the arms 13.

Links 16 are pivotally connected at one end to the inner faces of theflanges 6 midway their length, and at their other ends to the innerfaces of the upper ends of the legs 7 adjacent the upper edge of thecross bar 8 as is shown clearly in Fig. 3. A vertically disposed link orbar 17 is pivoted at its upper end on the pivot which carries the innerend of link 16, it being understood that there are two of these links 17,one being arranged at each side of the chair. Two links 18 and 19corresponding in length to .the links 16 are arranged at each side ofthe chair and pivotally connected at one end to the lower end of link17, one being arranged on the inner face of said'link 17 and the otheron its outer face. These links 18 and 19 connect the front and backsections at their lower ends, the free ends of said links beingpivotally connected with the legs 1 and 7 at points just above the crossbars 3 and 9, respectively,

Links 20 are connected with the pivots .which connect the upper ends oflink 17 with the flanges 6 and are provided at their other ends withapertures 21 designed to be detachably connected withstuds 22 whichroject laterally and inwardly from" the ront legs 1 on their inner facesas is shown clearly in Fig. 2. The free ends of these links arepreferably bent slightly outward to form finger grips23 to assistinconnecting or disconnecting them from the studs 22. f

From'the above description, it will be ob.- vious that when the chair isin operative position, the seat section t will rest 011 the links 16 andthe links forming the connection between the front and back sectionswhen expanded into operative position will form a substantially rightangular supporting structure, taken in connection with the cross bars ofthe two sections and when the links 20 which are diagonally disposed,being inclined dbwnwardly and forwardly from their pivoted points, areengaged with the studs 22, will lock the chair in upright position; andprevent all danger of its accidental collapse.

An extension section is carried by the front section and foldable inrelation there to, being composed of a platform 2st pivoted at its innerend to the front legs'l as shown at 25. The front end ofthis platform 24is supported by legs 26 rigidly connected by a cross bar 27, and whichare extended to form posts 28 on the upperends of which are mounted footrests 29. These foot rests 29 are preferably composed of'm'etal havingspaced apertured lugs 30 which are adapted to straddle the upper ends ofthe posts 28 and are pivotally connected thereto. The rear ends of thesefoot rests 29 aresharpened as shown at 31 to afford scrapers for cleaning off the mud from the shoes of the user of the chair.

The upper ends of the posts 28 are beveled to incline downwardly andrearwardly,,and have rounded knobs 32 positioned adjacent their outercorners, and on which the foot rests are designed to be located when inoperative position, and which prevent them from tilting forwardly beyonda certain point. When these foot rests are not in use and the chair isto be collapsed they are folded back into the position shown in Fig. 4with their rear ends resting on the rear faces of the posts 28.

Links 33 are pivotally connected at their opposite ends with the frontlegs 1 below the crossbar 3', and with the legs 26 of the extensionsection below the cross bar 27 as is shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3.

Mounted on the platform 2% and secured thereto is a box 34 whichperforms the double function of a step to assist the user in mountingthe chair, and as a casing for a: drawer 35 to housed for holdingbrushes, cloths and other implements used in shining-shoes. This box orcasing 34 which is open at its front end to receive the drawer 35, hassaid end spaced from the front edge ofthe platform a sufficient distanceto permitthe user of the chair to step on to the platform beforeascending the step formed by the box.

In the use of this chair, when it is desired. to.v collapse it fortransportation or .storage, it being in the position shown in Figs. 1.to .3, the links 20 are first disengaged from the studs 22 and then therear endof seat 4 is lifted, which causes the links connected therewithto break joint and permit the front section to be folded flat againstthe rear section, the arms moving downwardly intothe position shown inFig. The extension section is then collapsed by raising the frontportion thereof and folding it flat against the front section, the partsassuming the position shown in Fig. 4, where they occupy a minimumamount of space and may he easily lifted by a single person and carriedto any desired place.

When the chair is to be set up for use, the extension section is firstswung down into position and then the front and rear sections are openedby exerting a lifting motion on the rear section to open up the links,and then moving the section downwardly to'bring the links intolockingalinement, and when the links 20are connected with the studs 22, theparts'of the chair will be held securely in position ready for'use.

From the foregoingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method ofoperation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to whichthe invention appertains, and while I have described the principleofoperation of the invention together with the device which I nowconsider to be the best embodiment thereof, I'd'esire to haveit'understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that suchchanges may be made as are within the scope of the claimed invention. r

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A collapsible chair ofv the class described comprising front and backsections foldable one on the other, and a seat section for holding'themin extended position, said seat being hinged to one section at its upperend and having link connection with the lower end of said section andwith the upper and lower ends of the othersection.

2. A collapsible chair of the class described comprising front and backsections foldable one on the other, a seat section hinged to the frontsection and havinglink connection with the back section, linkspivoted'jat one end to said seat section midway .its width, studscarried by said front section atpoints below the seansaidlinks beingapertured at their free ends for engagement with said studs to lock thechair in open position.

3. A collapsible chair of the class described comprising front and backsections foldable one on the other,.and an extension section foldablyconnected with the lower end of said front section, said extensionsection including a platform with upstanding posts at the front cornersthereof, and foot rests pivotally mounted on the upper ends of saidposts.

A collapsible chair of the class described comprising front and backsections foldable one on the other, and an extension section fold-ablyconnected with the lower end of said front section, said extensionsection including a platform with upstanding posts at the front cornersthereof,

and foot rests pivotally mounted on the upper ends of said posts, theends of said posts being equipped with a means for limiting the forwardswinging movement of the foot rests.

5. A collapsible chair of the class de scribed comprising front and backsections foldable one on the other, and an extension section foldablyconnected with the lower end of said front section, said extensionsection including a platform with upstanding posts at the front cornersthereof, and foot rests pivotally mounted on the upper ends of saidposts, the upper ends of said posts being inclined downwardly andrearwardly to limit the forward swinging movement of said foot rests.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.c. J OSEPEIMANZARI. Witnesses j EDWARD LIsTNT, ANTHONY BRIENZA.

